UNICEF in action

As the Syrian Arab Republic enters its tenth year of conflict and crisis, children continue to pay the heaviest price.

After ten years of crisis, Syrian children remain at the center of the tragedy. Some 2.6 million have been displaced inside Syria; another 2.5 million live as refugees in neighboring countries.

The race to end the pandemic is on, and UNICEF is playing a vital role in the equitable global distribution of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines.

On March 11, it will be a full year since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization — and well over a year since UNICEF launched its emergency response to protect children from the fallout.

With sensitivity and compassion, Matilde Simas has spent years documenting the impact of various forms of human trafficking and forced labor, sharing the stories of survivors who are slowly rebuilding their lives.

On January 11, Pakistan launched its first vaccination campaign of 2021, with an ambitious goal: vaccinate 40 million children under the age of 5 against polio in just five days.